Heat exchangers



Nov. 7, 1961 w. HRYNxszAK HEAT EXCHANGERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March13, 1953 \\\\&

...dem

Nov.. 7, 1.961 w. HRYNlszAK 3,007,585

HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed March l5, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. HRYNISZAK HEATEXCHANGERS Nov. 7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 13, 1953 UnitedStates Etaient hire y Blhb Patented Nov. 7, l96l 3,007,685 HEATEXCHANGERS Waldemar Hryniszak, NeWcastle-upon-Tyne, England, assignor toC. A. Parsons & Company Limited, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England Filed Mar.13, 1953, Ser. No. 342,062 3 Claims. (Cl. 261-S) This invention relatesto regenerative heat exchangers.

A form of regenerative heat exchanger used for, say, preheating the airof a gas turbine, and incorporating a rotating heat-exchanging matrix,is known. The movement of such a matrix incorporated in a rotor iseffected by using -a high ratio gear -between this rotor and the primemover. This prime mover can be, tor instance, the turbine of the gasturbine unit or an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic motor.

These `known methods of driving the rotor of a regenerative airpreheater have the disadvantage of requiring a high-ratio reductiongear, a prime mover, and all the casings, and accessories necessary forassembling these elements.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improvedarrangement particularly to simplify the driving of the rotor ot aregenerative air preheater.

The Way I have `devised according to this invention for overcoming thisdiiliculty is by using heat-exchanging gas to drive the rotor. In thiscase the stator includes a cascade of iixed blading similar to that usedin a turbine stage, while the rotor comprises a cascade of moving bladestogether wit-h the matrix. A regenerator of this type may beconveniently termed a turboregenerator.

Referring to the acompanyin-g diagrammatic drawings:

FIGURE l shows an arrangement illustrating a turboregenerator cascadewith moving blades combined with a plate type matrix, in which thematrix is formed by the row of blades or vanes;

FIGURE 2 shows an arrangement illustrating the cascade of aturbo-regenerator with moving blades and in which the matrx is separatefrom the moving row of blades or vanes;

FIGURE 3 shows a section through a turbo-regenerator of the type shownin FIGURE 2, the top of the drawing representing the gas side and thebottom of the drawing representing the air side;

FIGURE 4 shows a section through a turbo-regenerator of the type inwhich the matrix is liquid or liquefied.

In carrying the invention into eiect in the form illustrated moreparticularly with reference to FIGURE 1, a rotor 1 cons-ists ofclose-pitched thin plates 2 curved like the blades of a moving row in aturbine stage. Stator blades 3 are arranged at the rotor inlet toperform the same function as a nozzle in a turbine stage. In this casethe moving row performs two `functions, namely: (a) rotation; and (b)exchange of heat. These two functions may be separated.

This latter method is illustrated in FIGURE 2 in which a matrix 1a isshown embedded `between blade shaped vanes which consist of an innerpart 2a and outer part 2b both of the desired blade shape to effectrotation and a middle part 2c. The matrix 1a which may be of wire gauzeis embedded between these middle parts 2c and is separate from the bladeshaped parts 2a and 2b.

FIGURE 3 as stated shows a detailed section of a turbo-regenerator ofthe type illustrated in FIGURE 2. A cylindrical rotor 11 consists of aninner casing 12 and an outer casing 13 which are separated by a layer otair 14 tor heat insulation. The outer casing has projection 15 bearingon conical rollers 16 which in turn rotate on ball bearings 17. Themoving vanes of the rotor consist of an. outer part 18, a middle part 19in which is housed the matrix, and an inner part 2l). Hot gas entersbetween the vanes at the inner periphery 21 over a cascade of tixednozzle blades 22 thence to the inner part of moving vanes 2a imparting arotary motion and then through the matrix and middle part 19 and thencethrough the outer part of the moving vane i8 imparting further rotarymotion before leaving through fixed vanes Z3 ot the stator to hot gasoutlet 2d. Cold air enters at inlet 25 flows between tixed stator vanesor nozzles 26 enters the outer part of the moving vanes 18 through thematrix and middle part 19 and then through the inner part of the movingvanes Ztl and thence to fixed vanes or diffusers 2.7, and then to theoutlet of the air side Z8. The hot gases give up heat to the matrixwhich rotates into the air side of the regenerator and thus gives upheat to the cold air owing through it on this side. The matrix is heldin a trame 29;

The stator consists of side walls 3l), an inner ring 31 and an outerring 32. Spaces 33 and 3d containing air for heat insulation are leftbetween the stator and the rotor. Located in the side `walls of thestator are iixed shafts of the bearing 35. The inner and outer rings 31and 32 have the fixed vanes 23 and 26 of the stator located in them.

To prevent leakages between the hot gas and cold gas sides acircumferential seal 36 and a longitudinal seal 37 are provided.

The circumferential seals may be of the sliding type any any surpluspower lavailable can be employed to irnprove sealing contact at theseseals by pressure.

The longitudinal seals consist of asbestos packings 38 held betweenwedge shaped pressure rings 39 and U- shaped flexible ring 40; Bearingon these rings and notating with the rotor are graphite rings 4l. Theair gap 1d is sealed by U-shapcd pieces d2. Springs t3 between the innerand outer casings of the rotor press the inner cas-ing of the rotoragainst the outer circumferential seal which is the cooler seal, leavinga gap between the inner circumferential seal, which is the hotter sealand the rotor.

A coupling and gear arrangement 44 is provided for a starting motor andgovernor.

FIGURE 4 as stated shows a turbo-regenerator with fluid matrix. Two suchturbo-regenerators `form a complete heat exchange-r, which means to saythat one turboregenerator represents one side namely cooling or heatingof the heat exchanger.

In a stator 51, heat exchanging gases rotate a drum type rotor. 52. Forthis purpose, the gas enters the stator through nozzle blades 53 beforereaching the intake S4 of the drum. In this drum vanes 55a which aresubstantially radial, are equally spaced over the circumference. Smallervanes 55b are arranged in between vanes 55a for facilitatingdistribution of the gas over the circumference of the drum. The vanesare shaped so that the drum can be rotated by the gas impinging uponthem. The gas leaves outlet S6 of the drum and passes between blades 57which straighten its flow and may increase its velocity if necessary.The drum is mounted on a hollow shaft 56 supported in bearings 59 Vand6%. Radially directed tubes 61 penetrate an inner conical Wall 62 of thedrum and terminate in a nozzle 63. The fluid heat agent enters Ithehollow shaft at 64, ilows due to the centrifugal forces through theradial tubes 61 and is distributed in the form of tine droplets throughthe nozzle 63. Because of the centrifugal forces, these droplets travelin a more or less radial direction through the `gas which flows inroughly the opposite direction, so that the exchange of heat can takeplace between the tluid agent and the gas more or less in connterllow.After having extracted heat from the gas, the droplets are caughtagaindue to centrifugal force--on outer conical Wall 65 of the drum, as shownin the drawing by cross hatching. Owing to the slope of the wall and theeect of the centrifugal forces, the Huid agent travels. to outlet 66 ofthe drum Iand thence through outlet 67 of the stator.

The fluid agent is then brought to the other side of the heat exchanger,which is similar to that shown on the drawing. The agent is againintroduced through the opening 64 of the other side of the heatexchanger, and the process is repeated as described above.

Between the two sides of the heat exchanger the uid agent can besubjected to heating, cooling or cleaning. It can also he caused to passthrough a pump incorporating a system for governing both the velocityand the amount which passes from one side of the heat exchanger to theother.

I olaim:

1. A regenerative heat exchanger having a heat exchange rotor comprisingan annular structure incorporating blading, a matrix housing of taperedannular form, a set of nozzles for supplying a heat exchange liquidforming a uent material, means for circulating a heat exchange fluidthrough said matrix housing in contact with said heat exchange liquid,and means for removing the liquid at the widest point of the taperedhousing.

2. A regenerative heat exchanger according to claim 1 comprising astator having annular gas inlets `and outlets and inclosing the matrixand matrx housing, a said stator including a discharge passage adjacentto said Widest point ot the tapered matrix housing for taking heatexchange liquid therefrom.

3. A heat exchanger comprising a housing in the form of a tapered drum;a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in said housing; a roto-r secured tosaid shaft, the rotor being in the lform a tapered annular drum; aplurality of radially disposed tubes connecting the inside of the hollowshaft with the inside of the rotor; nozzles attached to the rotor endsof said tubes for the purpose of distributing a heat exchange liquidinside the rotor, said heat exchange liquid `forming fa lluent materialbeing supplied to the inside of the said hollow shaft; annular openingsin the axial end yfaces of both housing and rotor Ifor the inlet andoutlet of media ywhich is to exchange heat with the said nent material,the inlet openings` in said housing and rotor being at a greater radialdistance from the rotor axis than the outlet openings, such that themedia entering and leaving by said openings ovvs through the rotor in adirection which has components in the axial and radially inwarddirection; vanas associated with the said inlet and outlet openings inthe housing and formed integrally within the rotor such that the influxand elux of media to and yfrom the rotor imparts to it the desiredrotation for the purpose of causing the heat exchange liquid to bedistributed in the rotor drum by centrifugal force; and `an annularopening in the outer wall of the rotor drum `at a point which isfurthest disposed from the rotor axis for removal of the heat exchangeliquid, after its connection due to the said centrifugal -force on thesaid outer wall of the rotor.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,584,635 Nagel May 11, 1926 1,798,370 Cox Mar. 3l, 1931 2,129,215 Howseet al. Sept. 6, 1938 2,337,956 Yerrick et `al Dec. 28, 1943 2,596,622Vannerus May 13, 1952 2,683,023 Ulander July 6, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS415,269 Germany lune 18, 1925 456,009 Germany Feb. 14, 1928 511,285Belgium May 31, 1952 622,899 Great Britain May 9, 1949

